Fishery and Fishculture Challenges in Lithuania

Abstract

This paper focuses on the development of fishery and fishculture in Lithuania. It provides a brief review of fishery evolution in the Baltic Sea and World Ocean and focuses on Lithuania's inner waters, with a particular emphasis on fishculture in Soviet (1945–90) and post-Soviet (1990–2007) Lithuania. Data for the paper were obtained from statistical yearbooks, state and enterprises' reports, direct contact with institutions and personnel and field survey work. During the Soviet period, more than 20 large state fishculture enterprises were established, each with 500–1000 ha of fishponds. These enterprises also owned 4000–7000 ha of farmland, which were used for rearing ducks and geese, stockbreeding and arable farming. In the Soviet period fishculture was a profitable business because it was partly subsidized by the state and the cost of energy and fish fodder were artificially low, not corresponding to their real value. After Lithuania declared its independence, state support of fishculture ceased, fishponds were privatized and the costs of energy and fodder increased significantly. As a result, fishculture enterprises barely manage to survive in free market economic conditions. Energy costs can be up to 50% of the fishculture enterprises' expenditure. Therefore, it is necessary to look for methods to improve fishculture practices in Lithuania.